New Delhi: Air India on Friday refuted claims that it pressured families of AI171 accident victims into signing papers stating their financial reliance on the deceased in order to lower compensation payments.
In a thorough response, the airline labeled the allegations unfounded and erroneous.
The controversy erupted after reports surfaced that some of the bereaved families were being forced to reveal financial connections to their deceased beloved ones, purportedly as a condition for receiving compensation.
However, the airlines explained that the request for such information was part of a standard procedure to ensure that interim compensation was delivered to the correct recipients quickly.
In an official statement, the airlines said, "It has come to our attention that allegations have been made against the company claiming that families of the deceased in the AI171 accident are being forced to sign papers disclosing their financial dependency on the deceased, in an attempt to reduce compensation payments. "
Airlines are working to expedite the payment of interim compensation (also known as advance compensation) to meet the immediate financial needs of affected family members, with the first payments made within days of the incident. However, Air India cannot handle these payments in an information vacuum, it said.
To ensure that advance payments are received by those who are entitled to them, the airlines have requested basic information to establish familial relationships. While the questionnaire does ask family members to answer yes or no as to whether they are financially dependent on the deceased, the airline believes that the procedure is entirely fair and essential in order to process payments to those who are most in need of help. Starting June 15, the airline opened a Facilitation Center at the Taj Skyline hotel in Ahmedabad, where the form for interim compensation would be made accessible, according to the statement.
Furthermore, families received messages informing them that the questionnaire was accessible via email if they did not want to visit the Centre. Air India employees stationed at the Centre explained the questionnaire's components to family members. Family members are not required to fill out the survey at the Centre, and many families have opted to complete the form at their convenience and submit it via email. Families who opted to fill out the questionnaire at the Centre were given copies of their submissions upon request, the airline said.
The airlines also stated that the victims' families were welcome to seek legal advice if they wished, in addition to raising questions with the airlines' personnel.
Furthermore, the airlines stated that the forms completed by grieving families at hospitals or morgues were unrelated to compensation. Some forms, however, were filled out for official purposes.
No trips have been taken by the airlines to the families' homes for the purpose of completing the interim compensation surveys or for any other reason. Furthermore, interim compensation has been provided to 47 families, and the airline is engaged in ongoing discussions to expedite the allocation of funds to the remaining bereaved families. The documents for the remaining 55 individuals have also been verified, and interim compensation is being gradually provided to their families. We are still in contact with other families of the passengers and those who died at the accident site, or their authorized representatives, to ensure that compensation is provided as soon as possible. As a member of the Tata Group, the airline promotes the fundamental principles of honesty and accountability and is dedicated to serving the community, particularly during difficult times, Air India stated.
In addition to any compensation offered by Air India, the Tata Group has promised a voluntary exgratia payment of Rs 1 crore, or around GBP 85,000, to the families of each deceased individual. A trust with a corpus of roughly Rs 500 crore, or around GBP 43 million, is being established to manage and distribute this ex-gratia payment and offer long-term support to the families. These families will always be a part of the Tata family. Air India stated that all of these activities are voluntary and in addition to any legal compensation owed to the airline.
Additionally, Air India has encouraged the public to be cautious of any misinformation and to avoid misinterpreting facts.
